Thursday, September 02, 2010

A pro-gun group has targeted Senator Mike Lenett (D-19) for defeat. But Lenett is returning fire and even spraying some shrapnel at challenger Roger Manno. That prompted Manno to take his own shots.Here is Lenett's mailing on the gun issue.

The mailer is based on this website post by Tripwire, a pro-gun group. In its voting recommendations, the group says:

District 19 (Montgomery County) Gun owners have one long-shot opportunity to help the Cause. It is in the Dem Senate primary, where Roger Manno challenges the incumbent Mike Lenett. Vote for Manno. He isn’t that good, but Lenett is that bad. He built a career on banning guns. He is a champion of licensing measures and worse while in Annapolis. Let’s take out the gun grabbers’ leadership if we can (just as D13 voters did 4 years ago with excellent effect.) The primary will determine this one, so all hands, please: big turnout. (If you’re a republican in this district – why? Your vote decides no outcome. Switch parties well before Aug 24th so you can make a difference!)

Lenett capitalizes on the reference to Manno, saying in his mailer:

In a special alert, pro-gun forces have urged their followers to "Vote for Manno" and defeat Lenett, stating, "Let's take out the gun grabbers' leadership."

What Lenett does not say and Tripwire apparently does not know is that Manno also favors gun control. One of his first acts upon arriving in Annapolis was to introduce a local bill allowing Montgomery County to pass additional restrictions on guns that would have gone beyond state standards.

Manno put out this mailer in response, in which he states, "Mike Lenett has gone too far with his recent mailer on guns... Mike Lenett wants to win this Senate race at any cost, even if it means winning dirty."

Looks like this town is not big enough for the two of them. Draw, pahdnah!